Language, as one of the global issues, provides everyone with a realm of knowledge. It is not just a tool of communication but it is a rule, governed, intended, creative and open-minded.
It is so much a part of human activity that is easily taken for granted. However, in order to understand each other, our thoughts and behavior patterns, we need to examine the language and it’s role in our lives.
"PIDGINS AND CREOLES: THE FORMATION OF NONSTANDARD LANGUAGE" [1] s one the most stimulating entry that I found on the Internet. The main idea is the development of pidgin and creoles.
Pidgin is originally a business vernacular and it is a simplified form of speech formed out of one or more existing languages and used by people who have no other language in common.
Creole is a language that developed historically from pidgin and came into existence at a fairly precise point in time.
It was interesting because I found that people living in 17th century were trying to communicate with others, even though they may have had a language barrier.
Now scientists are working hard to produce a universal language translator[2] that can help people from different countries to communicate easily. Even though accuracy varies between 60 to 90 per cent at present, in the future these translators will improve.
Language is the basis of communication between people, it identifies a person’s culture or background, it provides guidance on how we live our lives and it indicates our positions in society and our personalities.
If we have a universal language would it solve some problems? Or would it create new ones?
[1] "
Pidgins and Creoles: The Formation of Nonstandard Language." ALTA Language
Services | Professional Translation Services - Language Testing - Language
Training - Language Solutions | Atlanta, Georgia.
http://www.altalang.com/beyond-words/2012/11/01/pidgins-and-creoles-the-formation-of-nonstandard-language/
(accessed December 23, 2012).
[2] " Universal language system may solve translation problems
| Bangkok Post: news ." And... they're off! | Bangkok Post: news.
http://www.bangkokpost.com/news/local/329503/universal-language-system-may-solve-translation-problems
(accessed December 23, 2012).
Reading through your blog, I have encountered numerous point of interest. I totally agree in including language as a global issue. Language is our most utile and used tool. The issues related to language and knowledge call for conscious scrutiny in order to recognize its influence on thought and behavior. You have reached optimum skills in analyzing and retrieving information. Language is indeed a fundamental activity that involves all of us, and it Is taken for granted. For example spoken sounds acquire meaning through the particular use of tone, pronunciation and gesture.
RispondiEliminaI agree! I also think it's interesting that language and the meanings of words are really defined by our cultures.
EliminaTo share a common language may reserve many positive effects, just as some negative ones. Easier way of communication together with a better sense of equality may be the resolutions,while the conflicts that may rise are a monotonous society with no difference of culture in the background. Which cause is stronger?
RispondiEliminaIn reading your blog entry I found myself in concordance to almost all of the points from you discussed. I think that if we would have just one unique language in the world, this would certainly be a way to solve problems, because for example a person from Russia could understand a person from Italy without learning another difficult language in order to speak to each other. It's true, many problems would be solved, but on the other hand, culture would be destroyed. One language means one culture, because language is the most important thing to recognize in someone's culture. So at the end I am of the idea of remaining with thousands of different languages around the world, at least in this way people could have fun in discovering new aspects of foreign cultures.
RispondiEliminaThe blog is very complete as you clearly explained what language is and its role. Having a same language will not help. But are there some stronger ways to communicate than language? What do you think of body language?
RispondiEliminaThere is a though-provoking question in the end of the blog. I remembered that there is an international language, which is called Esperamto, in Polish it is called Lingvo Internacia.Because a polish veterinary firstly wanted to invent a simple and easy language in 1887's for making communications easier among different people. Esperanto was invented by gathering and combining over 10 languages together. So Esperanto can be thought as an universal language. Until now there are 100,000 ~ 2,000,000 people fluently using Esperanto and does not contribute to any problem, even though it is sharply developing because there are less difficult grammars and slang. Therefore, I think it is common that an universal language presented in the world, because it does not mean that we need to abandon own mother languages.
RispondiEliminaI think a universal language is positive to a certain extent. It benefits communications with people all over the world. However, we must not abandon our mother tongue. Because it represents who you are, where you come from. It is part of our cultural identity.
RispondiElimina